FAWLEY Refinery is celebrating a glittering haul of national safety awards after another year free of major work-related accidents.

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents has rated the refinery complex among the best in the UK with a highly- commended award for Esso Petroleum and ExxonMobil Chemical in the oil and gas industry sector.

There was a similar award for Trant Engineering, a locally-formed company which has handled numerous Fawley contracts over the years.

After winning a succession of awards, it has now established itself firmly among the safest contractors in the construction industry sector with a highly commended accolade.

A similar achievement has also been attained by SEC Electrical and Instrumen-tation, which carries out high-precision work for Esso and ExxonMobil.

In addition, Rospa has given overall recognition to the contractors at Fawley with a special award for contractor safety.

Rospa senior press officer Roger Vincent explained: "It is a special award for the way the contractors manage themselves in terms of health and safety under the leadership of Esso and ExxonMobil.

"We felt that they had all done so well that their combined efforts merited something special."

Esso has also struck double gold - one medal for the way its supply and delivery department moves products by road, rail, sea and pipeline to its retailers and one for its management of road risk.

Gold medals are granted only to companies who have already won five successive gold awards.

The winners of those gold awards include Eastleigh-based fabrication contractors PTF Engineering and fuel and lubricant additive producers Ondeo Nalco.

ExxonMobil UK logistics and Fawley site manager Dave Carr welcomed the awards and praised the efforts of everyone involved.

He said: "I am delighted not only by our own results, but also those of our contractors. The Rospa awards are recognised as the premier health and safety awards in the UK and our successes are a testimony to the emphasis we place on safety.''